Diffusion-weighted MRI in prostate cancer — comparison between single-shot fast spin echo and echo planar imaging sequences

Kozlowski, Piotr; Chang, Silvia D.; Goldenberg, S. Larry

doi:10.1016/j.mri.2007.04.008

« Previous Next »Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Volume 26, Issue 1 , Pages 72-76, January 2008

Diffusion-weighted MRI in prostate cancer — comparison between single-shot fast spin echo and echo planar imaging sequences

Piotr Kozlowski
- Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3Z6
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 4E3
- Corresponding author. Life Sci Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3. Tel.: +1 604 827 3974; fax: +1 604 827 3973.
Silvia D. Chang
- Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3Z6
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 4E3
S. Larry Goldenberg
- Prostate Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3Z6
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9

Received 25 January 2007; received in revised form 17 April 2007; accepted 21 April 2007. published online 14 June 2007.

Abstract

Diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI at 1.5 T was carried out in two groups of patients. MRI data were correlated with the biopsy and histopathology (where available). The performance of two sequences — a single-shot FSE (14 patients) and a single-shot EPI (15 patients) — was compared. Average ADC values from the normal peripheral zone (PZ), central gland (CG) and the tumour [prostate carcinoma (PCa)] were calculated from b values of 0 and 600. Tukey–Kramer test was used for statistical analysis. EPI produced higher values of ADC (10⁻³ mm²/s) than FSE sequence: 1.992±0.208 vs. 1.573±0.270 in PZ (P<.001), 1.518±0.126 vs. 1.373±0.179 in CG and 1.214±0.254 vs. 0.993±0.158 in PCa (P<.01). In conclusion, both EPI and FSE sequences showed differences in ADC between normal PZ, CG and PCa; however, EPI produced significantly higher ADC values than FSE.

Keywords: Diffusion MRI, Prostate cancer, Fast spin echo, Echo planar imaging